Foul Is Fair In Fair Play
by Y2Jen
Summary: Yamcha's dream is to win Hurcule's World Tournament but Goku and the gang want him to be pitcher for the local baseball team. How can Yamcha be in the minor league and still train for the duels, especially when the current pitcher is bad? *finished story*
1. One Over The Other

"Congratulations to this year's winner of the World Tournament duel, Tien!" The announcer at Hurcule's arena cried as the crowds screamed wildly for the retaining champion. "We'll see you again next year, drive home safely. Thank you." Everyone began to file out.  
  
"Tien, yo, Tien!" A voice called. Tien turned. He was walking down the hall to the locker room when he heard a familiar voice calling him.  
  
"Oh, hey Yamcha." Tien smiled to see his best friend rushing over.  
  
"Great match out there, you really had me on the edge of my seat." Yamcha laughed.  
  
"That's right, that's right." Puar, Yamcha's little blue cat, perked in.  
  
"Thanks Puar." Tien smiled at the nodding kitty.  
  
"Next year you won't be so lucky." Yamcha rivaled friendly. "If I wasn't eligible this year, I will be next year. Just you wait."  
  
"Yea, just next the right trial date year remember." Tien poked.  
  
"Don't try your luck." Yamcha tried not to blush. Yamcha had gotten dates mixed up so he went to try out too early and missed Tien's qualifying rounds.  
  
"Hey guys." Another voice trailed down the hall. Tien and Yamcha turned.  
  
"Hi Goku." They said in unison. Goku walked down the hall, his seven- year old son Gohan waving.  
  
"Tien, Yamcha." Gohan ran down the hall. "Hi Puar."  
  
"Hi Gohan." Puar glided over.  
  
"I have to say Tien, it looks like you haven't changed a bit." Goku smiled, reminiscing of the time he had come so close to victory in a World Tournament main event duel, but Tien won by a split second landing.  
  
"Hey daddy, maybe you should enter next year." Gohan suggested.  
  
"Well, I dunno son." Goku shrugged, the saiyan wanted to take time off from fighting, they had just gotten over a scuffle with Cooler a few years ago and Goku wanted a long, and needed, vacation. "Maybe in a few years you can."  
  
"Really, yay!" Gohan began to jump up and down.  
  
"Hey guys, there's a baseball game in town today. Do you have anything planned tomorrow?" Goku asked, he was a huge sports fanatic.  
  
"Please come with us!" Gohan pleaded, taking after his dad in the sports shenanigan.  
  
"Sure, we'd love to." Tien smiled.  
  
"I remember when I was in little league." Yamcha recalled, Gohan always reminded him of himself when he was that age. He was a huge baseball fan, but one day he was taken to a martial arts tournament and it change him. From that day on, Yamcha dedicated himself to the arts and yearned to be a World Champion at Hurcule's Tournament duels.  
  
"Take that as a yes." Puar laughed.  
  
"Great, we'll go over to Capsule Corp. at 10." Goku said.  
  
"Got it." The three nodded together.  
  
"By." Gohan waved as he and his dad walked away.  
  
"I'd better go change Yamcha, I'll see you at CC tomorrow." Tien turned.  
  
"Ok, see you then." Yamcha nodded and he and Puar left the arena.  
  
The next day...  
  
"Are you guys ready?" Goku asked when he and Gohan arrived at CC.  
  
"Let's go." Tien and Yamcha raised their fists. Yamcha drove them to the arena.  
  
"Looks like it's a minors game." Yamcha noted. The minors aren't the big leagues, but it's the next step through the line of baseball. Then went inside the stadium and Yamcha looked down at the field as the players mounted their position on the diamond.  
  
"There's the home team pitcher, the game is gonna begin!" Puar cheered. The fans all sat down, awaiting the first pitch of the game. Gohan stood on the edge of his seat, too short to sit down and be able to see over all of the heads in the way. The wind up, everyone held their breath. The pitch and.... it falls crooked half way to the batter. The crowd is confused.  
  
"Hey, what happened?" Gohan's voice squeaks at the top of his little lungs.  
  
"What a rip." Another fan jeers.  
  
"The pitcher sucks." Somebody behind Yamcha shouted.  
  
"Hey, don't be so hard on him." Yamcha grows angry and tightens his fist. "No Yamcha, he does suck." Puar admitted.  
  
"But they don't have to yell that at the guy. He's probably nervous out there as it is, he doesn't need thousands of fans tearing at his guts." Yamcha growled.  
  
"You have to admit though, you are a lot better." Tien replied.  
  
"So, what if I am?" Yamcha shrugged, calmed by the compliment.  
  
"What if you join the team?" Puar suggests.  
  
"Guys, they aren't just gonna hire some no-talent off the street." Yamcha laughed.  
  
"You're hired." The team manager said after the game when the group came to his office.  
  
"I, I am?" Yamcha stuttered, shocked that he just heard those two words.  
  
"You heard the man, you're in the minors now." Tien patted Yamcha's back.  
  
"Uh... uh.... uh." Yamcha stuttered in shock.  
  
"You want him to be pitcher?" The coach asked.  
  
"He's a right hander and we only have a left hander." The manager explained.  
  
"So, how good is he?" The coach still didn't believe him.  
  
"Why don't we go see?" The manager replied. The two men took Yamcha and the others out the cage. "Ok son, let's see your pitch." The coach tossed Yamcha a ball.  
  
"Ok, here it goes." Yamcha took a deep breath. He closed his eyes, wound up and pitched a fast ball right down the center.  
  
"Whoa, he's good." The coach's jaw dropped. "Welcome to the team."  
  
"Thanks." Yamcha shook their hands, still in shock.  
  
"Coach, whose this guy?" The left handed pitcher walks over with the team.  
  
"Our new pitcher, a right hander." The manager said. "His name is Yamcha."  
  
"I look foward to working with you." Yamcha smiled.  
  
"Hi." The left handed pitcher could only grimace. He sighed, knowing why Yamcha was here, he was here to replace him. His days as the pitcher for the minors team were over. 


	2. Broken Leg, Broken Dreams

"And the Diamond Cutters win the minors pennant, this is the teams first time to even make it to this position ever!" The announcer at the baseball game was yelling. "Believe me people, we are watching history in the making. Could this all be the work of the new pitcher?"  
  
"Yamcha, Yamcha!" The crowd shouted, some even held up signs.  
  
"Yea, go get em!" Tien and Goku cheered.  
  
"Yay!" Puar waved a little team flag.  
  
"Beat those punks." Gohan yelled.  
  
"Gohan, now watch your language." Goku reminded.  
  
"Sorry dad." Gohan sat down shamefully. The team had been on a roll ever since they signed Yamcha. They were winning more games than they ever had before. The team even broke an undefeated record that lasted over 27 games. Now they won their first pennant and were off to the A-Series which is the World Series for the minor leagues.  
  
"Hey Yamcha, way to strike those last guys out." Tien said after the game as the group went into the team locker room to congratulate them.  
  
"Last guys, ha, it was the whole lineup!" Goku pointed out and they all laughed. In the corner, the left-handed pitcher sighed saddly, he hadn't even pitched since Yamcha's signing and his batting was worse than a baby in little league.  
  
"Way to go, you got us to our first championship game." The team all began to crowd around Yamcha. "You really came through for us rookie." "Let's make history guys!"  
  
"We should go, it's getting crowded." Puar said.  
  
"Ok, see you later." Yamcha waved over the mass of people jumping on him. Yamcha laughs as everyone gets bottles of water and throws them on him, but as he scans the room with his eyes he can't help but see the pitcher in the corner, sad and alone. Yamcha frowns to himself.  
  
The next day....  
  
"Hey, has anyone seen Yamcha?" Tien asked.  
  
"He might be at practice." Goku replied. But he wasn't. Yamcha had gone to Hurcule's arena. He may be in baseball now, but he still has his dream of being champion. Yamcha trains and practices whenever he can, whenever there isn't a game. As Yamcha practices for the third time that week, preparations are being made for the tournament which is in two months. A construction worker is repairing one of the faulty pillars that mark the outside of the ring when...  
  
"Hey, look out!" He cries as the pillar beings to crack.  
  
"Fire in the hole!" Another yells and the other workers know that it means to get out of the way, fast and now. The only one who doesn't hear and move is Yamcha.  
  
"Ah!" Yamcha gasps and looks up. He tries to jump out of the way and nearly makes it, but the pillar pulls him down. As the dust settles, the workers run over.  
  
"Quick guys, get around the side, we need to get him up." The one worker says and they all lift it off Yamcha. "Hey, are you ok stranger?"  
  
"Oh man, I think so." Yamcha groaned and try to get up. "Ah!" Yamcha screamed and fell down. The others crouched down to help him up. "Ow, my leg!" They look at his left leg, the pillar had grabbed it and fell on it as it collapsed.  
  
"We should get the arena doctor." Another worker said and they all ran off.  
  
"Well it looks like your leg is broken in two my boy." The competition doctor says as he examines Yamcha's leg. "You'll be out of action for about six weeks."  
  
"Hmm, I'll be healed by the time of the tournament. Wait, I can't! I have the championship game tomorrow night!" Yamcha cries.  
  
"I'm sorry." The doctor replies. "For now you'll have to wear this soft cast. You must not play in the game tomorrow, do you promise me?"  
  
"Ok." Yamcha lies successfully.  
  
"Good." The doctor nods and walks away. Yamcha smiles to himself but then grows worried, how will he play if his leg is hurt? That night he gets a lot of aspirin and takes as much as he can in order to block out the pain long enough for him to play. The next day, Yamcha runs into the arena doctor at the baseball stadium.  
  
"The big game is tonight." He says, looking out at the empty stands, the doors not opened.  
  
"Don't worry, it'll be fine." Yamcha sighs, hoping he will be.  
  
"Yamcha?" A small voice cuts into the conversation. Yamcha's heart skips a beat and he turns to see Gohan. From the corner of his eye, Yamcha can see the doctor has left.  
  
"What is it Gohan?" Yamcha asks.  
  
"Why were you talking to that doctor?" Gohan turns up his nose.  
  
"Oh." Yamcha sighs with relief. "Because, uh, because I got this cough see and I didn't want to get the team sick with a sore throat." Yamcha gets a sly look on his face and pretends to groan. "But I do still feel really contagious." He begins to force out fake, hard coughs on Gohan.  
  
"Ah!" Gohan screams and runs off, Yamcha shakes his head.  
  
"Oh man, too easy." He laughs. The game soon starts. Yamcha tells the coach that he can't bat tonight so he has a pitch hitter stand in for him. But Yamcha assures that he can still pitch. The game goes underway and Yamcha strikes out everyone up to the seventh inning stretch.  
  
"The opponents nearly scored, we have to tighten our defense." The coach said as they got ready for the home stretch. In the eighth inning, the team got two home runs with another person on base. Yamcha started to loose confidence and didn't realize the pain pills were wearing off. He went for the pitch and the batter got four balls. He pitched to another and got a two base run. He pitched to another and that's when the medicine wore off. "Ah!" Yamcha let go of the ball too soon as his the pain shot from his leg and through his body. The ball hit the batter in the elbow. The injury got him a walk, bases loaded.  
  
"Come on Yamcha." Tien whispered.  
  
"The pressure may be getting to be too much for him." Puar gulped.  
  
"Go Yamcha!" Gohan yelled, Goku just watched.  
  
"I can do this." Yamcha says to himself. Nobody, not even the team, knew about his broken leg. The soft cast was easily hidden and not noticeable under the baseball pants. Another man came onto the plate and Yamcha struggled to pitch a curve ball but the batter hit it out of the park. Yamcha felt his heart sink as the team got four points. They were the ones losing now, the score was 7-6. Yamcha was able to strike out one more person and ended the eighth.  
  
"What's wrong out there?" The coach asked.  
  
"It's nothing, I'll be fine." Yamcha assured them that he would win it. They went up to bat next and were able to score a point, tying the game at 7. But the other team was up and it was judgement day for Yamcha. He picked up the baseball but cringed, he couldn't bend down. "I know what I have to do now." Yamcha sighed and held up his hands in a T shape.  
  
"Time!" The coach called and ran out to Yamcha, hands on hips. "What is it?"  
  
"Take me out coach." Yamcha turned to him. "Take me out, put in lefty." Yamcha said. "Trust me." He added before the coach could counter the request. The coach looked at Yamcha and could tell he was serious. He nodded.  
  
"Alright Yamcha, you're out. Get in here lefty." The coach replaced him. Yamcha smiled but everyone in the stands were in angry shock. 


	3. Climactic Turning Point

"Hey, what's going here?" Gohan's jaw dropped.  
  
"I dunno." Goku was just as confused as everyone else. The pitcher pitched the ball and the batter swung. Strike one. Lefty sighed and pitched again, fowl ball. Another pitch, ball. He pitched again, everyone on their seat as they heard the ball crack against the bat. Lefty looked up, Yamcha rose to his feet, the batter began to run, but the short stop ran faster. He caught it. Everyone jumped up in the stadium.  
  
"The D-Cutters did it, they won their first A-Series!" The announcer screamed and confetti fell onto the crowds and fireworks lit up the sky.  
  
"We did it!" Yamcha cried and everyone ran out of the dugout. "You did it!" Yamcha hugged lefty and everyone jumped onto them, creating a dogpile.  
  
"Yay, they won, they did it!" Gohan jumped onto Goku.  
  
"Yea, woo!" Tien rooted.  
  
"Alright Yamcha." Puar cheered.  
  
"Wow, now that was a game." Goku smiled, hugging Gohan. After the game was over and the trophy was given to the manager, the coach approached Yamcha and his team.  
  
"What happened out there?" He asked his two pitchers.  
  
"I'd been giving lefty here a few pointers and practice makes perfect." Yamcha smiles.  
  
"I'm sorry we took you out. But you're an all star now, you did it." The coach replied.  
  
"Thanks coach, Yamcha." The pitcher smiled at him.  
  
"Sure." Yamcha nodded and the team went to change.  
  
"Hey, Yamcha." Puar called and Yamcha turned to be met by a group hug.  
  
"Way to go man. "Tien patted his back.  
  
"How does it feel to be a champ?" Gohan asked.  
  
"Great." Yamcha smiled and looked up to see Goku. Yamcha sighed and walked over. "Uh, Goku, there's something I really should tell you."  
  
"What?" Goku asks, a little confused.  
  
"I, I have to quit baseball." Yamcha sighed. "What, why?" Goku was shocked now.  
  
"It's fun and great, I really like it, but the world tournament duels is what I love. I can't give that up, not for anything. It's my life, my dream, you know that right?" Yamcha asked.  
  
"Yes, I do." Goku nodded. "But you could've told me that. Just be honest with me and I won't be hurt." Goku explained and Yamcha smiled. They hugged. "Now just tell the coach."  
  
"I already did, they understand." Yamcha said and looked down at Gohan. "What is it?"  
  
"I'd hug you but you're sick." Gohan replied meekly and Yamcha couldn't help but laugh.  
  
"What's so funny?" Puar asked.  
  
"It was just a joke Gohan! If I was really sick, how could I play?" Yamcha laughed.  
  
"Yamcha." The doctor walks over.  
  
"Yea?" Yamcha gulps, he forgot to tell them about his leg.  
  
"Hey, what does he want?" Gohan gets nervous.  
  
"He's here for me, not you." Yamcha assures.  
  
"So then you are sick?" Goku asks.  
  
"No I'm not sick!" Yamcha realizes the flaw in his joke now. "Look it was a joke ok."  
  
"You didn't tell them" The doctor asks.  
  
"Uh..." Yamcha gulps.  
  
"Tell us what?" Goku gets concerned. Yamcha sighs, he can't hide it any longer.  
  
"I have a broken leg. I got it the other day while training at Hurcule's arena for the tournament." Yamcha explains. "A pillar fell and broke it, and I played the game with it still."  
  
"Whoa." Tien is in shock.  
  
"Yamcha, why didn't you just tell us that you liked martial arts more?" Goku asked.  
  
"You know why, I thought it'd hurt your feelings." Yamcha sighed.  
  
"I told you it wouldn't, but I guess what's done is done." Goku replies.  
  
"You know, if you did tell Goku you might not even have a broken leg." The doctor says.  
  
"I know, I'm sorry." Yamcha lowers his head and suddenly clenches his teeth.  
  
"What is it?" Puar gasps, Yamcha is in pain.  
  
"Probably playing on it made your leg worse." The doctor sat him down. Gohan was too worried for Yamcha to think about being wary of the doctor. The doctor pulled up Yamcha's pants. "The soft cast didn't work, it looks like we might have to put a metal plate in your leg."  
  
"Ew that's gross, poor Yamcha!" Gohan cries and Goku silences him.  
  
"You'll be out at least 8 weeks, at minimum." The doctor deducts.  
  
"But I can't, the tournament, I'll miss it again!" Yamcha gasps.  
  
"I'm sorry, but if you'd just listened to me you would make it." The doctor points out.  
  
"But I couldn't let the team down." Yamcha sighs.  
  
"If you told us that you didn't want to play we wouldn't have gotten you into this." Goku reminds. "Next time just be honest with us and we'll understand."  
  
"Yea, and listen to the doctor." Tien slaps Yamcha upside the head.  
  
"I said I was sorry." Yamcha grumbles, that hurt.  
  
"We'll do the operation tomorrow." The doctor leaves. The next day, Tien drives Yamcha to the hospital and everyone arrives later to see if he's ok. "He'll be fine." The doctor comes out two hours later and everyone goes into the hospital room. Yamcha has an eight inch cast that goes from his knee down.  
  
"How do you feel?" Tien asks.  
  
"A little deja vu if you ask me. I've been better." Yamcha smirks.  
  
"I'm sorry your rehab will make you miss the tournament." Goku replied.  
  
"I know. But I learned my lessons and next year I really will be ready." Yamcha says.  
  
"Really?" Everyone asks.  
  
"Yes really." Yamcha assures. That night as Yamcha watches TV he sees the commercial advertising for Hurcule's competition. "Maybe next year trophy, maybe next year." He turns it off and goes to sleep, dreaming of making his real dream come true, winning the tournament. 


	4. In The Big Leagues

Yamcha is at the hospital still, he's recovering from his surgery very well and will be out faster than the doctors predicted. But not soon enough I'm afraid, he'll still miss the duel.  
  
"Excuse me, nurse?" Yamcha called as one walked in the hall. She came over to his bed. "Do you know what channel the World Tournament is on?"  
  
"Sure, here." The nurse turned on the TV to the right station.  
  
"Thanks." Yamcha smiled. She nodded and left. Yamcha sighed sadly as he watched the tournament. It was already the final round, the main event. "I wonder who Tien's fighting?" Yamcha wondered aloud, when the announcer gave him his answer.  
  
"And Tien's opponent, a returning champion himself, Goku!" He cried.  
  
"Goku!" Yamcha sat up in bed. "Alright!" He was happy now, he turned up the volume as he watched Tien and Goku fighting the match. "Aw man, I still can't get over the fact that if only I'd told Goku about all of this, I'd be there instead of here." Yamcha was so busy with his thoughts that he forgot about watching the match.  
  
"And we have a new champion folks, the winner, Goku!" The announcer yelled.  
  
"Goku beat Tien." Yamcha cheered but held his leg, bouncing around too hard.  
  
"Now let's get an interview with the champion." Another man said and walked over to the panting saiyan. "So Goku, how does it feel to be champion?"  
  
"Oh man it's great." Goku said after catching his breath. "But you know, I might not be here right now, I might have been eliminated if Yamcha didn't break his leg."  
  
"Now I remember that this happened before." The man went on.  
  
"Yes, something like that, only Tien beat me." Goku replied. "So that's why I'd like to dedicate my win to my recovering friend Yamcha. Get well soon!" He waved.  
  
"Oh Goku." Yamcha couldn't help but laugh. About a week and a half later, Yamcha is able to go back home wearing a soft cast, his leg practically healed.  
  
"Welcome back Yamcha!" Everyone cheered as the cab drove him to Capsule Corp. They'd all gathered there to welcome him home.  
  
"Thanks guys, you don't know how great it is to be back." Yamcha said, getting out on crutches. "Hey Goku, I saw you on TV."  
  
"Really, I'm glad." Goku walked over. "Oh by the way, here. I want you to have this." He placed an envelope in Yamcha's hand.  
  
"But Goku." Yamcha's eyes widened in shock. "This has to be at least half of the prize money. Why give it to me, I didn't win?"  
  
"You deserve it. For all I know, if you were in the tournament you would've won. Besides, you gave up a lot, so just take it." Goku insisted.  
  
"Hey I'm not one to complain about free money." Yamcha laughed.  
  
"Yamcha?" Tien's voice made him turn.  
  
"Hey Tien, good match against Goku." Yamcha said.  
  
"Look whose here." Tien stepped aside to reveal the baseball team.  
  
"The Diamond Cutters." Yamcha grinned. The coach came forward.  
  
"We can't thank you enough for what you did for us, and you did it hurt and that takes a lot. You are an honorary player of the D-Cutters." The coach said.  
  
"It's an honor." Yamcha smiled respectfully.  
  
"There's somebody else here to see you." The manager gestured.  
  
"Mark?" Yamcha turned happily. It was the left handed pitcher.  
  
"Hey, thanks man." Mark hugged him. "You really did a lot for me, more than you did for the whole team. I'll never forget anything you did to me and all that you taught me. And, well, as thanks, we all want you to have this." He handed him..  
  
"The trophy?" Yamcha's jaw dropped. "No, I can't accept this."  
  
"Face it Yamcha, if not for you, we wouldn't be in the pennant and I wouldn't be going to the major league." Mark smiled.  
  
"You're kidding." Yamcha was in shock. "That's amazing, congradulations!"  
  
"Thanks, but it's all for you man, it's all for you." Mark said solemnly.  
  
"So where are you going to?" Yamcha asked.  
  
"You'll never guess." Mark smirked. "I'm going to California!"  
  
"Whoa alright!" Yamcha was excited. "What team?"  
  
"None other than the Angels." Mark smiled proudly. "I'm number 47."  
  
"Hmm, Angels pitcher Mark Lukasiewicz, number 47. I like the sound of that." Yamcha smiled and patted his friend on the back.  
  
"Thanks. Like I said man, it's all for you, it's all for you." Mark clapped and soon the whole team and everyone at Capsule Corp. was giving Yamcha applause. "I won't ever forget what you taught me Yamcha. Maybe I can take the Angles to the world series."  
  
"Hey, I wouldn't doubt it." Yamcha nodded.  
  
"Well I'd better go, my flight leaves in a few hours." Mark smiled.  
  
"Good luck." Yamcha waved as the team drove off in their bus.  
  
A few months later.  
  
"Can you believe the Angles actually won their first ever pennant?" Goku asked as he, Yamcha, Tien and Gohan watched the World Series.  
  
"I bet it had something to do with Mark." Tien said.  
  
"And all the training Yamcha gave him." Puar added.  
  
"Nah, it's all him guys, I had nothing to do with it." Yamcha shrugged.  
  
"Quiet guys, the ninth inning is starting." Gohan hushed. It was an intense game, if the Angels won this one they'd win their first ever World Series.  
  
"Hey look there's Mark!" Yamcha grew excited.  
  
"And he's pitching the last inning." Tien pointed.  
  
"Do I detect a foreshadowing?" Puar asked himself. Everyone was on the edge of their seats as Mark threw the last pitches of the game.  
  
"Oh no, it was hit!" Gohan stood up as the batter hit the ball. There was two outs and the Angels were up by one. If the hit was out of the park, the Giants could win it. But wait. somebody runs in from the outfield and catches it.  
  
"They did it, they did it!" Yamcha jumped up cheering.  
  
"Mark took them all the way!" Tien and Goku slapped high fives.  
  
"Yay!" Gohan and Puar hugged, as did all the Angels on TV. Yamcha watched proudly and silently as the team gave the outfielder a dog pile, and right as Mark jumped on, the players collapsed onto the field. And Yamcha saw. 


End file.
